On a pirate ship stood an old but tall and muscular man with a white mustache. He wore a black, sailor-like coat bearing a Poké Ball emblem, a white hat, and a ragged mantle with yellow outlines and stripes on his sleeves. Blue trousers, buckled with a dark belt, and black boots completed the look.
It was Drake.
Behind him, his crew moved about, making sure everything was in top condition, all while Drake stood on his phone, talking.
You see, Drake was enjoying some time off from his League duties, and during that time he liked doing two things to pass the hours, sailing, and treasure hunting. So when his leave was approved, he gathered his crew once more and set off.
Once out at sea, he had been searching for an ancient submersible belonging to a long-lost civilization when he received a call from an old friend, Briney.
Back in the day, he and Briney had been part of the same ship and sailed the world together, along with their friend Joseph Stone. But as life usually does, it moved on, and Drake hadn't had the chance to speak to them in quite a while. So he happily took the opportunity to talk to Briney.
But when he picked up the call, Briney revealed it wasn't just to catch up. Turns out Joseph had been attacked, and the Association was limiting any and all coverage to only what they wanted the public to know. That was why even Drake, a member of the Elite Four, hadn't heard anything about it.
And the only reason Briney found out at all was because a boy named Ash and his friends had approached him, and he gave them a ride so they could reach Steven to personally deliver a letter.
Now, in case you hadn't caught on, the Devon Corporation's president, the head of the company holding the largest monopoly on communication in the world, didn't want to send Steven Stone a message. It had to be a letter. Yeah. That was really concerning.
After Briney dropped the kids off in Dewford Town, he went straight back to Rustboro City to demand answers from Joseph, and an explanation as to why he hadn't called to hang out.
And that brought things to this point, where Drake was getting a quick rundown of what Briney had uncovered: that there appeared to be some sort of illegal activity involving the Magma Corporation and the Aqua Corporation, carried out by people calling themselves Team Magma and Team Aqua.
Now again, none of them had proof confirming that these teams were actually connected to the corporations themselves, especially since both Drake and Briney had met the Chairman of the Aqua Corporation before, and when they had, he'd seemed perfectly reasonable. There was always the chance someone was simply using their name.
Drake listened without interrupting, one massive hand resting on the rail as the sea rolled beneath the ship. The wind tugged at his mantle, the yellow trim snapping like warning stripes.
"…That's all I know," Briney finished on the other end of the line, "Joseph's alive. Hurt bad, but alive. And whatever's going on, the Association's got their thumb on it,"
Drake's jaw tightened beneath his mustache.
"Limiting information," he rumbled, "From me,"
"Aye," Briney said, "If they're willing to do that to an Elite Four, imagine what they're doin' to everyone else,"
Drake fell silent, eyes fixed on the horizon. The ocean was calm today, too calm. He'd sailed long enough to know when the water was hiding something.
"And the boy?" Drake asked at last, "This Ash,"
Briney chuckled softly, "I knew you'd think like that. From what I saw, he's a strong one, and from what I managed to squeeze out of Joey, he saved him from those members. So he's definitely against them. But knowing you, you want to meet him personally, don't you?"
Drake let out a slow breath, and Briney sighed helplessly. He didn't even need to see Drake to know he was nodding.
"Well, when I left them, I dropped them off in Dewford. But one of his friends he's traveling with is interested in Contests, so my bet is they already left Dewford and are waiting in Slateport,"
Drake shifted his weight and glanced back at his crew. At his silent signal, the helmsman adjusted course by just a few degrees.
He turned back to the phone, "What a coincidence, that's where I was heading to look for the submersible. Guess I won't need to make an excuse to the Association about why I changed course,"
Briney sighed, "Drake, you've got that look again. You want to go see what the kid is made of, to see if he's really capable of fighting these evildoers?"
Drake nodded, even though Briney couldn't see it, "I need to see this myself. If he's as good as you say, he could be a valuable ally. If not, it's best to make sure kids don't put themselves in danger if they can't handle it,"
Then Drake looked ahead and saw the beaches approaching. His expression darkened.
"Briney," Drake said, his voice low, "I want you to stay put. Don't push Joseph any harder than you already have. If the Association's nervous, that means someone high up knows more than they're saying,"
"Was afraid you'd say that,"
"And if Magma and Aqua really are involved," Drake continued, "or if someone's wearing their colors to stir trouble, then this isn't some petty crime ring,"
"Yeah, yeah," Briney replied with a laugh, memories of their younger years surfacing, "We'd know, wouldn't we? We took down quite a few of them in our time,"
Drake let out a laugh that came out more like a sigh, "Aye. But I'll have to leave you for now, I'm reaching land,"
"Alright. Next time, let's meet up, and I'll be sure to drag Joey along to pull him out of that office," Briney laughed as the call ended.
Drake lowered the phone and stared out at the approaching land, frowning.
Looks like this adventure might get a little more interesting.
-
{Later, at a restaurant}
The restaurant in Slateport was warm and loud, smelling faintly of fried fish and salt air. Lanterns hung from the ceiling beams, swaying gently whenever the door opened, while the steady hum of conversation filled the space.
Ash leaned back in his chair, both of his eggs resting on his lap as he rubbed them gently and casually explained, again, why he had booked multiple rooms at a luxurious resort, and why everyone should absolutely stop making faces about it.
"It solved the problem," he finished with a shrug, "Beach access, no arguing, and I didn't feel like listening to that guy anymore,"
May stared at him over the rim of her glass, "You rage-bought a resort stay,"
"Technically," Ash corrected, "I calmly purchased a solution,"
Brock pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a slow breath. He had that look, the one that meant he was balancing pride, responsibility, and the urge to grab Ash by the shoulders.
"I don't know whether I should be proud of you for standing up for May," Brock said, "or scold you for casually dropping enough money to fund a small Gym renovation,"
Ash waved a hand, "It's fine,"
"It is not fine," Brock shot back. He reached into his pocket and slapped a card down on the table with finality, "We talked about this. How much did you spend on mine? I'll pay you back,"
Ash recoiled slightly, as if physically offended, "Brock, I've got plenty,"
"Nope," Brock pushed the card closer, "I'm the responsible one. I contribute. That's the rule,"
Ash opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again, "But I already paid-"
"And now I'm paying you back," Brock said, dead serious, "You will take my money, and you will like it,"
"Never," Ash said, crossing his arms.
May and Max could only sigh as they watched this happen, both thinking rich people problems, like their dad wasn't also a Gym Leader and didn't also have plenty of money.
As Ash continued refusing to take the card and Brock was practically trying to hold him down, Pikachu and Vee were busy stealing their lunch while they argued.
The door creaked open.
A few patrons glanced up out of habit, then went back to their meals. Drake entered without ceremony, no dramatic flourish, no announcement. He just walked in like another customer.
He scanned the room once. Then his eyes narrowed slightly as he spotted Ash being put in a headlock by Brock.
Ash didn't notice. Not yet. He was laughing, even though he knew he could break out at any moment, he was letting it happen just to see how far Brock would go.
Drake turned away without staring any longer and crossed the room to an empty table near the wall. He sat, placing his hat carefully beside him, and nodded once to the server.
"Milk," he said calmly, "With sugar,"
The server blinked, then nodded and hurried off.
Drake folded his hands on the table and waited, gaze unfocused, senses tuned outward. He could hear the rhythm of the sea even here, beneath the laughter and clinking plates.
And then Max froze mid-sentence.
His fork clattered softly against his plate.
"…No way," he whispered.
May frowned, "What?"
Max's head turned slowly, eyes locked on the man sitting near the wall. His face drained of color, then flushed red with excitement.
"A-Ash," he hissed, grabbing Ash's sleeve, "Ash. Ash. ASH,"
Ash blinked. He reached up, pushed Brock back in the face, and slipped free, "What?"
Max pointed with both hands, barely containing himself, "That's-that's Drake! Drake of the Elite Four! The Dragon Master! He-he fought in the Hoenn League finals! He—he—"
"Hey Max, bud, breathe," Ash reminded him as Brock stood up, rubbing his cheek and finally noticing Drake.
"What would a member of the Elite Four be doing all the way out here?" Brock muttered.
Drake's milk was set gently on the table. He lifted the glass and took a slow sip.
Ash wasn't gawking. Wasn't starstruck. He wasn't even particularly tense. He continued talking with the group, already distracted by something else entirely.
He knew there was something out in Slateport's waters, something deeper beneath the waves, but he still had to figure out how to reach it. Maybe he could rent some Jet Skis or something.
So he rested his head on his hand and half-listened as May launched into her big idea.
That earned a faint hum from Drake's chest. The Dragon Master drank his milk in one gulp, placed money on the table, and rose from his seat.
The room didn't go silent, but it noticed. A few heads turned. Whispers rippled. Someone dropped a fork.
Drake picked up his hat, tucked it under his arm, and walked over.
He stopped at their table.
Up close, he was even more imposing, broad shoulders filling the space, his presence heavy like an anchored ship. His mustache twitched faintly as his gaze passed over Brock, May, Max, and Ash.
"Well now," Drake rumbled, "if this isn't a lively table,"
"S-Sir Drake! I—uh—um—" Max stuttered, looking like he might faint from pure fanboy excitement.
May and Brock managed polite nods, though May's eyes kept flicking back to the emblem on Drake's coat.
Ash looked up as well, offering a polite smile and nod, casual as ever.
"I didn't mean to interrupt," Drake said, "But I couldn't help overhearin' a bit of… enthusiasm,"
"I-I'm sorry!" Max squeaked, "I didn't mean to stare! I just, my dad has books and recordings and-"
Drake waved a hand, "Easy, lad. I've had worse receptions,"
His gaze shifted back to Ash, "You're Ash,"
Ash blinked once, "…Yeah,"
Brock's head snapped toward him, shooting Ash like he was asking him [What did you do?] Ash only shrugged.
"Briney spoke highly of you," Drake said.
Ash raised an eyebrow, "He did?"
Drake gave a short, amused huff, "Aye. Briney doesn't praise lightly. If he bothers mentionin' someone by name, it's usually because they left an impression,"
Max looked like he might explode, "Y-You know Mr. Briney?!"
"Knew him longer than I care to count," Drake replied, his mustache lifting with a faint smile, "Good sailor. Stubborn as the tide,"
Brock recovered first, straightening in his seat, "Sir Drake, it's an honor. I'm Brock. This is May and Max, you know Ash. We're traveling together,"
"Aye, I can see that," Drake said, his eyes flicking over the group again.
Then his gaze returned to Ash, "You don't look surprised to see me,"
Ash shrugged, "Elite Four members eat too,"
That earned a proper chuckle from Drake, "Fair answer,"
A server passed by, slowing noticeably as she realized who was standing there. Drake inclined his head politely, then stepped just a fraction closer to the table, close enough to speak without raising his voice.
"I won't keep you long," he said, "I'm in Slateport on… personal business. But Briney mentioned you might be passin' through,"
May exchanged a glance with Brock, "We're here for the Contest," she said, "At least for now,"
Drake nodded, "Figured as much. Town's full of Coordinators this time of year," His eyes flicked briefly to the Poké Balls at May's belt, then away again.
Max leaned forward, practically vibrating, "Are, are you scouting? Or on League duty?"
Drake's answer was smooth, "Neither, at the moment. I'm on leave,"
That only made Max look more excited.
"Yep," Drake added calmly, "Which means I'm free to enjoy the sea without paperwork breathin' down my neck,"
Max nodded rapidly, hanging on every word.
Ash leaned back in his chair again, posture loose, "Oh, I hear that. I hate paperwork so much,"
"Aye," Drake agreed, "That's why I have to take a few days off each year just to go sailing again,"
May tilted her head, "You're a sailor?"
Drake chuckled, "Before the League ever came callin'. Still am, when I get the chance,"
That caught Brock's attention immediately, "You have your own ship?"
"Aye," Drake said simply, "Crewed, seaworthy, and stubborn enough to survive me," He paused, then leaned in and lowered his voice, "I'm takin' advantage of my leave to do a bit of… exploration," as if he were sharing a secret.
Max's eyes lit up, "Exploration?"
Drake's gaze returned to the table, sharp but friendly, "Treasure huntin',"
There it was, Ash thought. He had a feeling he knew what was going on, but he didn't say anything. If anything, this could work to his advantage.
May blinked, "Wait, seriously?"
"Aye," Drake said, "Old wrecks. Forgotten tech. Things the sea decided to keep for herself," He shrugged one broad shoulder, "I've got a lead I've been chasin' for a while. Thought I'd see if it was worth the trouble,"
"Worth the trouble," Brock repeated thoughtfully, "You mean… dangerous?"
Drake's mustache twitched, "Dangerous is relative. The sea's honest about it, at least. She doesn't pretend to be kind,"
Max leaned even closer, elbows on the table now, "What kind of treasure are we talking about? Like gold? Or ancient artifacts? Or-oh! Old Pokémon tech?"
Drake chuckled, deep and warm, "Slow down, lad. Treasure doesn't always glitter. Sometimes it hums. Sometimes it sinks," His eyes flicked briefly toward Ash, then back to Max, "This one's an old submersible, built long before modern League oversight. Clever design, if the records are to be believed,"
May's eyes widened, "A submersible? Like… underwater?"
"Aye," Drake said, "Deep water, too. Too deep for casual divin'. I was headin' this way to see if the currents matched the old charts,"
Ash hummed quietly, chin resting in his hand, "Sounds expensive,"
Drake barked a laugh, "That it is. Time, fuel, patience, and luck," He looked around the table again, slower this time, "Luck's a funny thing. Shows up more often when people are workin' together,"
Brock caught that immediately, "You're looking for extra hands,"
"Not crew," Drake corrected easily, "I've got one of those already. But an extra set of eyes? Different perspectives? People who don't stare at the sea like they've already decided what she'll give them?" He shrugged, "That can be useful,"
May hesitated, "We're kind of… busy. With the Contest,"
"Aye, I heard," Drake said, nodding, "Slateport's alive with it right now. I wouldn't ask you to abandon your goals," He tapped the table once with a thick finger, "But treasure huntin' isn't a race. I'll be in port for a few days yet,"
Max practically bounced in his seat, "A few days?!"
Brock shot him a look, "Max,"
"What?" Max whispered back, "He said submersible,"
Drake laughed again, clearly enjoying himself now, "You'd only be guests. A short sail. A look at the charts. Maybe a dip if the weather's right," His gaze settled on Ash again, measuring without pressure, "No obligations. No League nonsense. Just the sea,"
Ash had an idea what this was really about, but he kept his smile, "Well, that depends, how long do you think it would be?"
Drake rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "If we leave now, then I can bring you all back at the same time tomorrow,"
"Well, what do you guys think? I've never been on a treasure hunt," Ash asked casually.
Brock sighed and thought about it, "Well, I guess it's not the worst thing that could happen,"
"Does that mean we can go?!" May's eyes lit up as she clapped her hands, "Oh, I wonder what we'll find!"
Max slammed both hands on the table, "WE'RE GOING ON A TREASURE HUNT,"
Brock groaned, "We are considering a treasure hunt,"
May leaned back in her chair, grinning, "C'mon, Brock. An Elite Four member's ship? Even I know that's not normal,"
"Who needs 'normal'? This is so cool!" Max said, waving his arms frantically.
"I mean, Brock, are you really gonna say this is the weirdest thing we've done?"
Brock raised a finger and sighed, "Okay, fair point. Fine, I guess it couldn't hurt,"
"Then welcome aboard. Adventure is always better with more people," Drake said with a grin.
—
{About 2 hours later}
The ship cut cleanly through the water off Route 109, sails full and snapping in the sea wind. The hull creaked in a steady, familiar rhythm, the kind that told seasoned sailors everything was working exactly as it should.
Ash leaned against the rail near the bow, watching the ocean roll beneath them. The water here was darker than near the shore, deep blue shading toward near-black in places where the sunlight struggled to reach. He was still gently holding his eggs; based on the Aura signatures he could sense, they were pretty close to hatching.
May stood a few steps back, gripping the rail with both hands, eyes sparkling as she watched Wingull wheel overhead, "I can't believe we're actually doing this," she said, "An Elite Four member's ship. A real treasure hunt,"
Max had already abandoned all pretense of calm. He darted from one side of the deck to the other, peppering Drake's crew with questions.
"How fast can this thing go?"
"How old is it?"
"Is that compass antique?"
"Have you ever fought a sea Pokémon bigger than the ship?"
The crew answered what they could with amused patience. One sailor finally ruffled Max's hair and told him to breathe before he passed out.
Meanwhile, Pikachu and Vee climbed all the way up to the crow's nest to enjoy the wind together.
Brock watched the waves roll past the hull, arms folded, the salt air cool against his face. The farther they sailed, the quieter he became, not nervous, exactly, but thoughtful.
Drake noticed.
He stepped up beside Brock, resting his forearms on the rail. The ship barely seemed to notice his weight.
"Hoenn's got some fine ships," Drake said after a moment, his voice carrying easily over the wind, "Powerful enough to stay the course they've plotted, even in stormy seas,"
Brock glanced at him, "You sound like you've spent a lot of time out here,"
Drake let out a low chuckle, "Aye. More than on land, some years," His eyes followed the horizon, "Seeing ships like this still makes me wonder whether I've been living strongly enough,"
Brock frowned slightly, "Did something happen?"
Drake shook his head, "Just memories of my youthful foolishness,"
That earned a curious look from May, who had drifted closer, curiosity outweighing the sway of the deck. Max followed immediately, because of course he did.
"You don't seem foolish," Max blurted out.
Drake smiled faintly, "Maybe it's because I'm getting on in years," he said, "But I think about things a lot these days,"
Ash, still leaning against the bow, didn't turn, but he was listening.
"A long time ago," Drake continued, "my friend Briney and I were trying to become the greatest sailors in the world. We dreamed of mastering every sea route there is,"
Max's eyes widened, "All of them?"
"All of them," Drake confirmed, "We were young. Thought the ocean was something you conquered,"
The ship crested a small swell, water hissing along the hull.
"But then," Drake said, quieter now, "one day, when I was out at sea, my ship got caught in a storm,"
Brock straightened slightly.
"Somehow, I avoided sinking," Drake went on, "but I was adrift for days after that. Used up the last of my food and water. Thought that was it,"
May held her breath, "What happened?"
Drake got a smirk, "A Dragonite appeared in the sky,"
Max gasped, "A Dragonite?!"
"Aye," Drake said, "That Dragonite led me all the way back to shore,"
For a moment, no one spoke.
Ash finally turned his head, interest clear now, "That's… not what I expected,"
Drake nodded, "Legend has it that Dragonite is a kind Pokémon, one that leads people who are lost at sea back to safety,"
May smiled, "Really?"
"Of course," Drake replied without hesitation, "Unconditional kindness isn't exclusive to people. Pokémon can show it, too,"
He paused, then added, "Having a different species show me that sort of kindness… it changed me,"
Max swallowed, "So that's why you became a Trainer?"
"Aye," Drake said, "If my life was saved by a Pokémon, then I figured my life should be spent benefiting Pokémon in return. That's when I decided to become a Trainer,"
Brock hesitated, "What about Briney?"
Drake's smile turned wistful, "I abandoned him to walk that path. Apologized more times than I can count," Drake laughed quietly, "He wasn't even angry. Sent me on my way with a smile,"
Ash pushed off the rail and walked closer now, "Sounds like him,"
"Aye," Drake agreed, "That's why I want to be the greatest Trainer I can be. It's for my old friend Briney, too,"
He straightened, the wind tugging at his mantle.
"Like a ship that stays its course through a storm," Drake said, "no matter the difficulty, I'll continue on the path I've chosen,"
"I come to the ocean to remind myself of that," he added, "and to remember the Dragonite that saved me, wherever it is now,"
May wiped at her eye quickly, "That's… really beautiful,"
Max nodded fiercely, "Yeah,"
"Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever see that Dragonite again," Drake said, looking back at the kids with a smirk, "but then I remember, this world is more magical than any storybook. As long as I keep my dreams, then the story never ends. I'm sure I'll see that Dragonite one day,"
"But that's enough about me. We're about here," Drake said, pointing toward the water around them.
"Eh, so… what are we supposed to be looking for?" May asked.
"Nothing up here, but let me ask you all, have any of you been scuba diving?" Drake said with a smirk.
Brock, May, and Max blinked owlishly. Slowly, Ash raised his hand.
Drake's smirk widened, "Then I guess you're with me, and the rest of you are on spotting duty,"